Effect of Adhesive Joint End Shapes on the Ultimate Load-Bearing Capacity of Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer/Steel Bonded Joints

This paper reports the experimental results of a study investigating the effect of adhesive joint end shapes on the load-bearing capacity of carbon fibre-reinforce polymer (CFRP) and steel bonded joints. In the study, samples with new proprietary types of CFRP strip ends were examined. All samples were subjected to tensile quasi-static loading with a load rate of 1.5 mm/min. A total of 60 samples with CFRP/steel single overlap joints were tested to determine their ultimate load-bearing capacity, effective bond length and failure modes for the above variables. 8 joint end shapes of normal CFRP modulus with three lengths of CFRP overlap and one CFRP cross section (20 x 1.4 mm) were used in this study. Laboratory test results showed that joint end shape has visible effect on the load capacity of the CFRP/steel bonded joints. The load-bearing capacity of the samples with a regular joint end was up to 28 % lower than that of the samples with a plan-shaped end and 30 % lower than that of the samples with a chamfered end with adhesive outflow. The differences in the results decreased with increase in joint end length towards the effective end length.